Forever's Holiday Celebration Blog Tour

Who doesn't love a holiday romance?  I was just telling BilbioJunkie Nat that I want to buy all the Christmas books - all of them!  Check out the fantastic covers in the banner - aren't they awesome?  And combining awesome holiday books with awesome holiday food?  Yes, please!  

‘Tis the season to celebrate! Five of Forever’s authors with brand new Christmas romances are sharing their favorite holiday recipes and memories.

CAROLYN BROWN’S PUMPKIN BREAD

Kids, grand children, great-grands, all coming home for the holidays—the aroma of pumpkin bread baking in the oven—everyone waiting for it to get done so they can slice it up while it’s still hot, slather butter or whipped cream cheese on it, and tell the age old stories about the holidays we’ve had in the house. That’s the stuff memories are made off and every time I smell pumpkin bread it puts a smile on my face for the whole day.

PUMPKIN BREAD

This makes 2 loaves and 8 muffins; Or it makes one Bundt cake

½ cup butter

½ cup shortening

2 2/3 cups of sugar

4 eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin (one 15-16 ounce can)

3 ½ cups flour

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons soda

1 cup pecans (optional)

2/3 cup of cold strong black coffee

(NOTE: I use all butter if I’m out of shortening or even oil)

1.       Cream first four ingredients.

2.       Add canned pumpkin.

3.       Add dry ingredients alternately with coffee

4.       Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour for loaves or bundt cake, 25 minutes for muffins, or until they test done in the center.

5.       Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

6.       Cool completely before frosting with Harvest Moon Frosting (below).

HARVEST MOON FROSTING

3 egg whites

1½ cups brown sugar

6 tablespoons water

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a double boiler. Cook 7 minutes, beating the whole time with an electric mixer, over the boiling water.  The frosting will stand in peaks when done. Add vanilla.  Beat until thick enough to spread.

Find out more about Carolyn Brown at her website.

PAULA QUINN’S CHRISTAS COOKIES

My dad used to live across the street from us. Every year, when my
kids were little, he would dress up like Santa, climb out his window
on the second floor, and hang Christmas lights on his fire escape. My
kids would watch from our window with wonder in their eyes, unaware
that it was grandpa. He would turn and wave to them, sending them into
little fits of breathlessness. Later, we would visit grandma and
grandpa’s for homemade cookies (left there for them by Santa). The
house was always fully decked out with every Christmas decoration
imaginable with Alvin and the Chipmunks on repeat while the kids
hunted down little “pre-Christmas” gifts he’d hide for them. I loved
witnessing the magic of Christmas and love through their eyes. Now
grown, my kids will sometimes still look out the window at his fire
escape and smile, remembering a grandpa who loved them beyond measure.

GRANDPA’S CHRISTMAS COOKIES (A favored Italian recipe)


4 eggs


1 cup sugar


½ cup butter


2 teaspoons vanilla


3½ cups flour


4 teaspoons baking powder


1.       Sift dry ingredients.

2.       Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs; add
vanilla and dry ingredients.

3.       Knead and add flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to hands.


4.       Pinch off dough, roll in your hands to form a log and then twirl into
shape.

5.       Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.


ICING

2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 teaspoons water

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Stir until creamy. Dip cookies into icing and sprinkle with trim. Place on wire rack with wax paper on counter to collect the dripping icing and sprinkles.

Find out more about Paula Quinn at her website.

DEBBIE MASON TREE TRIMMING PARTY

One of my family’s favorite holiday traditions is our tree trimming party. We’ve held one every year for the past thirty years. Though I don’t know if it qualifies as a party seeing as it’s just the immediate family. But we do make a thing of it with our favorite carols playing in the background, fire on (mostly for ambience), hot chocolate served in festive mugs, lots of holiday treats, and a special ornament for each of the kids and grandkids to open before the tree decorating gets under way.

But I think the most fun for all of us isn’t decorating the tree, it’s unpacking the ornaments. I’ve always tried to buy an ornament that’s uniquely suited to each of the kids, whether it was a sport they were into that year or a movie, book, or hobby they loved, so unwrapping each one brings back a lot of special memories. Here’s a peek at just some of the collection. I don’t think it will be long before we have to break from tradition and let the kids take some of the ornaments home to decorate their own trees. Either that or we’ll have to put up another tree.

And this one in my office doesn’t countJ Every year, my family gifts me with an ornament too. This year they gave me these three adorable oranaments to celebrate the release of the first book in the new Harmony Harbor series, MISTLETOE COTTAGE, and the short story, CHRISTMAS WITH AN ANGEL.

Find out more about Debbie Mason at her website.

HOPE RAMSAY’S GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Every year for the last quarter-century, or possibly longer, I have set aside the Saturday closest to Christmas to bake gingerbread cookies with my children, and now, with my grandchildren.   These are the only cookies I make at Christmas time, and the activity is more about family fun than turning out a perfect cookie.  Usually I do most of the rolling, cutting, and baking.  And the rest of the family does the decorating.

The magic is in the royal icing.  The white icing is a snap to make, and it can be divided up into small bowls and colored with food dye, creating pots of colored cookie paint.  I give each child (or adult) a watercolor paint brush and let them paint the icing onto the cookies.  The kids have a blast, and the cookies always come out looking wonderfully homemade. 

To me, cookie baking embodies everything I love about Christmas: kids, family, baking, and yummy desserts.

GINGERBREAD COOKIE DOUGH

Makes about 6 Dozen

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Dutch cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter
1 cup superfine sugar
1 egg at room temperature
½ cup unsulphured molasses

1.       Whisk together the dry ingredients – flour cocoa, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, backing soda, and salt.

2.       Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and molasses and beat thoroughly.

3.       On low speed, add the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined.

4.       Cut the dough into thirds, pat into disks, wrap in plastic and chill until firm – 2 hours or overnight.

5.       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/16 inch thick and cut cookies with cookie cutters.  Transfer the cookies to an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges of the cookie turn brown.

6.       Let cool on sheets and then transfer to a wire rack.  Decorate with royal icing.

ROYAL ICING

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1 pound confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup water

Using a mixer, place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat at high speed until fluffy, thick & shiny (about 10 minutes.)  Divide the icing into smaller bowls and color it using food coloring. 

Find out more about Hope Ramsay at her website.

OLIVIA MILES SNOWFLAKE COOKIES

In my newest release, CHRISTMAS COMES TO MAIN STREET, my heroine owns a cookie bakery. As this story takes place over the holidays, I thought hard about a signature cookie she might make, and eventually I settled on charming snowflake cookies. Of course these are not just any old cut out cookie, though. No, Kara makes them by the dozen, sure to keep each one in the batch distinct in shape and decoration, because no two snowflakes are ever the same, after all! And it’s these snowflake cookies that she delivers every day to the inn in Briar Creek…where a Christmas visitor falls in love with more than just her cookies.
I hope you all enjoy these snowflake cookies as much as Nate does! J
KARA’S SNOWFLAKE COOKIES (sugar cookie cut-out and royal icing recipes courtesy of Martha Stewart)

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1.       Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

2.       Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

3.       Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. Remove top layer of plastic wrap. Cut out cookies. Transfer cookie dough on plastic wrap to a baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to freezer, freeze until very firm, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from freezer and transfer shapes to baking sheets lined with nonstick baking mats. Roll out scraps, and repeat. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.

4.       Bake, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

ROYAL ICING

2 large egg whites, or more to thin icing

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, or more to thicken icing

Juice of 1 lemon

3 drops glycerin

Beat the whites until stiff but not dry. Add sugar, lemon juice and glycerin (if using); beat for 1 minute more. If icing is too thick, add more egg whites; if it is too thin, add more sugar. The icing may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Decorate each as you wish!

Find out more about Olivia Miles at her website.

 I don't know about you guys, but I need some Christmas cookies and a good book, stat!  Happy Holidays!

~ Shel, Bel, and Nat

A Match Made on Main Street (Briar Creek #2) by Olivia Miles

*** ½

This kitchen isn’t big enough for both of them…

If there’s anything Anna Madison knows, it’s how to turn life’s lemons into a lemonade cocktail served in a vintage glass. So when her beloved Briar Creek café burns down, she sees it as an opportunity to start fresh. But the only kitchen available to her is in the diner down the street—owned by her sinfully sexy ex.

If Anna thinks she can take over his greasy-spoon kitchen with her high-end cuisine, Mark Hastings is about to set her straight fast. Their breakup is his biggest regret—not that he’ll ever admit it to her. Nope, he’d rather show her exactly what she’s been missing. With desire set on a high simmer, their menu is about to get a whole lot spicier… 

Review:

If you had the opportunity to read Olivia Miles’ Christmas romance, Mistletoe on Main Street, you may have sensed more than a little bit of sexual tension between Anna Madison and Mark Hastings.  With all that steam rising off the pages, I couldn’t wait to read their story.

Anna and Mark have a history that they have carefully hidden from the rest of people in Briar Creek.  While they were both in culinary school, their longstanding friendship morphed into a summer romance that shook them both.  Anna was all in.  But Mark?  Not so much.  He knew that loving each other that much would only spell disaster for their personal and professional lives.  His father walking out on his family when Mark was a kid proves that he’s right.  So he ended their relationship in a cruel manner that would ensure Anna wouldn’t fight for them.

Fast forward six years.  Mark has taken over his mother’s diner and Anna is running a successful café with a second location attached to her sister’s bookshop.  I the years since their whirlwind romance, Mark and Anna have managed to avoid each other as much as possible without alerting the town about their previous relationship.

When Anna’s café is seriously damaged and temporarily closed due to a fire, she finds herself in a financial situation that could mean the loss of her sister’s bookshop.   A possible solution?  Winning the cash prize in a nearby culinary competition.  The catch?  She needs to enter with a partner.

Mark began running his mom’s diner right out culinary school.   His mother was going through chemo and he felt it was his responsibility to keep it running.  But everything has been going well for his mother and he thinks it might be time to pursue his dream of owning his own restaurant.  And what better way to fund his dream than by winning a culinary contest.  Now he just needs to convince Anna Madison to forgive him long enough to become his partner so they can win a prize that they both desperately want and need.

Much like Grace in Mistletoe on Main Street, Anna is a strong independent heroine that is determined to be a success at everything she does.   I loved that, even though she was still hurt and still pining over Mark, she was not going to let those feelings get in the way of achieving the rest of her dreams.  Mark was an interesting hero.  Although he is struggling with a lot indecision in regards to his career and Anna, I never once wanted to tell him to man up. His struggles, while frustrating, were realistic and understandable.

My only complaint (and this definitely a personal preference than a critique) with this story was consistent reminders of Anna and Mark’s previous relationship.  Anna’s inner monologues, in particular, seemed to have a lot of repetition in regards to how badly Mark hurt her when they were in culinary school together.  The repetition does a great job of enhancing the angst in the story line.  There were just times when it didn’t work for me personally.  

Other than that, I enjoyed this story a lot.  I’m always a sucker for angst and I’m equally a sucker for a book that features chefs and/or food.  Although that does sometimes work against me.  There is one point in this story where Anna and Mark are FINALLY about to air their dirty laundry.  They are in Mark’s kitchen and the conversation is becoming emotionally intense.  But…I was distracted.  Because Mark was cooking delicious scallops and they were ruined by the time their conversation ended.  No!!!  Seriously.  I need help.  I also need a plate of deliciously broiled scallops. 

Needless to say, A Match Made on Main Street is an emotional and sweet foodie romance that will please lovers everywhere.

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (143)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.



By A.J. Pine
Publication Date: April 21, 2015

When she lost it all, Jess decided to cope by living a lie. 

But you can’t keep on pretending forever…

Twenty-one-year-old Jess used to have everything—a loyal best friend, a boyfriend she loved, and a future that was right on track. But in a single night, her whole world changed.

Now, Jess lives for the impersonal connection of drunken hook-ups and to-go coffee cups in the morning. All she needs is one night to pretend everything is fine…until she meets Adam.

Thanks to a sports injury, gorgeous, charming basketball star Adam Carson is stuck in physical therapy at the hospital where Jess interns—giving her the perfect opportunity to see his sweet, considerate nature and making her realize that maybe she does want something more.

But while Adam might be the best thing that’s happened to Jess in a long time, letting him past her carefully constructed walls means letting him know what happened...and why he'd never want her for more than one night.



By Katie Cotugno
Publication Date:  April 21, 2015

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me. 




By Olivia Miles
Publication Date:  April 28, 2015

This kitchen isn’t big enough for both of them…

If there’s anything Anna Madison knows, it’s how to turn life’s lemons into a lemonade cocktail served in a vintage glass. So when her beloved Briar Creek café burns down, she sees it as an opportunity to start fresh. But the only kitchen available to her is in the diner down the street—owned by her sinfully sexy ex.

If Anna thinks she can take over his greasy-spoon kitchen with her high-end cuisine, Mark Hastings is about to set her straight fast. Their breakup is his biggest regret—not that he’ll ever admit it to her. Nope, he’d rather show her exactly what she’s been missing. With desire set on a high simmer, their menu is about to get a whole lot spicier… 

Mistletoe on Main Street by Olivia Miles

* * * 1/2

Sleigh bells, snow, and second chances . . .

Briar Creek's quaint shop windows, cozy homes nestled in snow, and neighborly residents are what Christmas dreams are made of--for everyone except Grace Madison. She left her hometown years ago to pursue a writing career. But when her father's death leaves his bookstore empty, Grace must return to face why she fled Vermont in the first place: Luke Hastings, who still heats her up like a shot of smoky whiskey on a cold winter's night.

Grace is back, and Luke is worried. How much has she changed as a bestselling author in the big city? What memories will she stir up? And was the choice he made five years ago the biggest mistake of his life?

Now, with their past, present, and future rocking around the Christmas tree, it's time for Grace and Luke to face the music . . . and the mistletoe.

Review:

Grace Madison is heading back to Briar Creek for her longest visit since she left with a broken heart.  With a recently failed engagement and her latest book a flop, she is hoping a Christmas at home will lift her spirits.  But before she even makes it into town she crashes her car into a snow bank and the only other driver on the road is her ex, Luke Hastings, the one guy she has managed to avoid the past five years.  And to make matters worse, she finally arrives home to find her family lacking the Christmas cheer she had been looking forward to.

Luke is about as thrilled to see Grace as she is to see him.  He always thought they would be together forever.  But when he realized Grace would never be happy staying in Briar Creek and that he never wanted to leave, he walked away, quickly meeting someone that wanted all the same things he did while staying right there in Briar Creek.  But now Luke’s a widow and he’s not ready to deal with the emotional upheaval cause by having Grace back in town.

It’s a small town and there’s no avoiding each other.  Over the weeks before Christmas, Luke and Grace slowly become re-acquainted.  And when that they aren’t running into each other they are dealing with other issues that are putting a damper on everyone’s Christmas.  Luke is feeling guilt in regards to his late wife.  And Grace is trying to figure out a way to save her late father’s bookshop  while somehow bringing some of the old Christmas celebrate into her mother and sisters' lives.

I can’t believe I am saying this but there was just a little too much angst in this story.  There was so much push and pull between Grace and Luke that I found myself grumbling.  It took a long time for there to be any resolution.  And when we finally got some, it felt rushed.  The angst also hindered some of the Christmas cheer I was hoping to feel.  It was a sad Christmas for so many people in this book.   Grace and her family as well as Luke are celebrating one of their first Christmases after losing a loved one.   And although the Christmas cheer DOES build, you have to go through quite a bit of agony first.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  I was just expecting a bit more happy while reading a Christmas romance.

That being said, this was still a very engaging story.   By the end I was trying to figure out how I could skip Halloween and Thanksgiving and move right on to Christmas.  I wanted to drink a giant glass of red wine while decorating my house; making sure it is dripping in twinkling lights while Christmas music plays 24/7.  And if I felt that way at the end of this story then I can honestly say that Mistletoe on Main Street is everything a Christmas romance should be.

Nat